Ricochet
by No One Cares
Summary: If Life's a Game, Let's Play Again... With new information about the circumstances surrounding the story of Death Note, the Fates wants to re-play the "course". Where Fates and Shinigami work together the story of Death Note takes an alternate path.
1. Introduction

**Introduction**

"Ryuk, say hello to my friends."

"Uh, yeah, I'm Ryuk."

The fates stared up in horror and shock at the dark, tall beast before them. In contrast to their pale world he stuck out like a soar thumb. The small and light colored Fates turned their bewildered solid gazes onto the fate who escorted this monster here.

"What-what is it? Chess?" Asked one.

"He's a Shinigami." The fate, Chess, said.

"Sh-shinigami!? Can you bring a Shinigami here?" Asked the same fate.

"Apparently." Said another more amused, "Don't think the Old Hag will be happy about this though."

Chess slapped her hand down on the game table before the fates, "Shut up you guys. I brought Ryuk here for a reason... I think we should replay Ryuk's Course."

"You can only replay a game once," Snipped a fate.

"We haven't replayed that one..." Said yet another.

Chess interrupted them again, "Listen! This time I think we should play for the notebook piece as the goal, instead of trying to knock everyone else out of the game."

"The notebook? That thing was just a tool of some kind."

"No, no," Chess argued, "I don't think it was, because it was a Shinigami Death Note."

They were silent in surprise and confusion. "Wait, what do you mean?" The Fates asked.


	2. Chapter One: Chess, The Fate

- Ricochet -

(N.O.C.)

Greetings, here is the first Chapter of Ricochet. This is the first Chapter story I've ever posted and the second story in total.

I put up an introduction before this, because it starts right off with the Fates...I wasn't sure how to begin this and began to think it would play out better if I started at a middle scene, but in the end the Fates are the mechanism by which this story can take place. After their initial introduction there will be more of the Death Note cast. I hope the Fate's involvement in the story will be fun and amusing.

* * *

**Chapter One: Chess, the Fate**

_Game Rule: I. If a Game appears the Fates must Play it_

At one time humans lived apart from all other entities and only dreamed of what might lie beyond their comprehension. To some the idea of beings from other worlds was myth. But beyond humanity there were the Shinigami in a realm that looked down upon humans and stole the life from humans using a tool that would seem like an average notebook at a glance. The Shinigami realm is one that is organized by rules, in regards to the notebook and interacting with humans.

Is it unbelievable, then, that there are creatures other than the Shinigami, that exist in yet another realm? In a parallel world to the Shinigami's are the Fates. Fates live in a world contrast to the Shinigami world, in its brightness and pastel colors. The fates themselves are small, nymph looking creatures. They fly without wings and have large solid colored eyes. They often have some kind of horns or antennas on their heads. Which gives them various, sometimes bug like, appearances.

"Chess, come along and play, another game has appeared." Said a fate to another. Fates live in an odd world of isolation and what happens within their world they simply accept. The games appear at random on a table, a portion of the fates' world seems like a gambling hall.

Chess was a pale colored fate with contrasting black horns on her forehead. Something like ash leaves grew on her head as an excuse for hair. Not all Fates have natural head covering, and even if they do, hats are popular among fates. "I have no time for a game now. One of my key pieces has fallen into a hole." She replied.

Now an odd and annoying phenomena in the Fate realm was that dark holes floated by occasionally. Fates and games pieces could fall through these holes, though most everything else could not. What was the Queen of Fates thinking allowing such annoying holes?

The Fate wearing a red jester hat laughed at her. "Clumsy Chess. What a pain though. I think one of your Chancers are in this! Who will I have replace you!?"

Chess shook her head. She didn't like other Fates taking her Chancers, but she couldn't lose this influence coin. "Go away, Sudoku!" She hissed at him. She saw a hole approaching. "Let Shoots have my Chancers. He not much of a cheater and he doesn't steal Chancers."

"You can't trust me! Watch me give them to Poker, You Lazy bum!" Sudoku called as Chess jumped through a hole.


	3. Chapter Two: Ryuk, The Shinigami

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C)

I meant to get this up sooner, but I've been editing it a bit. English is my first language, but for some reason my sentences don't always sound like it...

I hope this chapter sounds a bit like Ryuk. ; 

* * *

**Chapter Two: Ryuk, The Shinigami**

_Game Rules II. Chancers are key pieces in the game of Fates. A fate must choose a chancer to try to influence throughout the game._

The Shinigami Realm was a boring, deteriorating place. At this point all Shinigami could have their complaints about it. At least in Ryuk's opinion they ought to by now. Another boring day in a place deader than death. Ryuk was wasting time, lying on his side, before the broken spheres, watching humans. 

Occasionally he wrote down a name, being a bit amused by human death, knowing how much they disliked it. He wondered if Shinigami of the past were amused by watching mortals die. More important than writing down a few names, Ryuk had a couple of human-world apples at his disposal. They were so delicious, but he was disappointed to see their numbers vanquish as he ate them.

The shinigami heard something clink behind him and turned to see what it was. Some kind of... little metal thing? He picked it up. It looked like a gold coin of some sort. He looked up curiously. What was this? He examined it, wondering if something from the human world had fallen into the shinigami world for once. He decided he might as well see if he could gamble with it. Before he could put it somewhere for safe keeping a creature, like nothing he'd seen before, flew into view from the gray skies. Was it... a shinigami?

It was awfully cute for a shinigami. It was small and light colored with cute little horns. It's body looked like a human child's with no definition to one gender or anything. It looked soft...Zellogi would like it. It eyes were bright red, like delicious apples. It was wearing long sleeves, which seemed to be it's main accessory and a brightly colored necklace. What terrible fashion sense, a shinigami wouldn't be caught (dead) looking like that! It looked like the creature was looking around for something? Ryuk glanced at the gold coin. He flew over to the little creature, which seemed to startle it.

Ryuk felt a bit of sentiment over the cute little creature. It reminded him of those apple-rabbits Misa use to make... The large red eyes didn't help... What kind of shinigami was Ryuk? 

"Stay away!" The creature hissed at him.

"Oi, oi, I'm not gonna hurt you." He said. "Looking for this?" He wondered and offered the coin to the creature. 

"Thief!" The creature snickered and took it from him.

"I didn't steal it." Ryuk grumbled, annoyed with the accusation. He thought this creature was cute, but now it was bugging him. It gave him a sad face.

"Sorry, You're a shinigami right? I have been told that shinigami steal game pieces. My friends are always complaining about stolen dice."

"Hyuk, hyuk, stolen dice hu?" Ryuk paused. What was this thing? "You're not a shinigami."

"Of course not." The creature replied, "I'm a Fate." It clarified.

"A fate..." Ryuk replied, not sure what a fate was, oh well. "So what does that coin do, fate?"He asked.

"It's an influence piece." The fate shook her head, "And I'm Chess, the fate."

Ryuk nodded, "Ryuk, the shinigami." He wasn't sure what she meant by influence piece. It was a gold coin wasn't it? "Do you corrupt humans with that?" He wondered. 

"Humans?" Chess didn't know what that was. She dropped the coin into a little purse. 

Ryuk backed up and pointed into one of the spheres. "Yeah, humans. You don't know what a human is?" He picked up an apple. A bit hesitant, the Fate looked into the shattered globe. It showed hundreds of humans filling the sidewalks and streets.

She seemed a little spooked by it. "What is this?" 

"The human world." Ryuk replied.

"A what?"

This Fate didn't catch on too fast did she? "You know... humans?" He changed the sphere to focus on an individual human.

"Hey, that looks like a Chancer. You say ... this is a world?" She asked seemingly fascinated with it. How interesting... What kind of creature didn't know about simple things like humans? How could they survive? 

"Yeah... it's the human world."

"Can I go there?" Chess asked.

Ryuk had to think about that, "I don't know. I think you have to drop a note book into the human world." This seemed to confuse her more.

"Why don't you take me there, Ryuk, you seem to know everything about it!" Her excite was suspicious... Kind of amusing though.

"Oi, you think I can just take you there?" Ryuk began.

"How about if you take me there for a little bit, I'll take you to the world of the Fates for a little bit?" She bargained. The world of the Fates? Ryuk had never heard or seen such a place. That would have to be interesting! 

"Okay."


	4. Chapter Three: Chancers Er Humans

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

I don't know if writing the story title and all is necessary, but I'm doing it for consistency sake. 

Can a Fate own a Death Note? I would say no, but who knows.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Chancers Er Humans **

_III. Influence coin are won and traded between Fates_

The Human World Was Amazing! The shinigami, Ryuk, had to drop a notebook into the human world. Chess didn't quite understand this, but it was like a ticket and then they were able to come here. Or course it was a bit scary, falling into a big hole and warping into the human world. She'd clung onto the shinigami after having somewhat considered never touching him, because he didn't look very... sanitary. 

They flew above the human world and it became clear to Chess that this was the game, played out in some reality. It was so complex and amazing though! The games were not nearly this vivid and the projections were limited in space and size. To see the vast, real thing... She had no idea such a place existed. A sunrise, a horizon, building as high as mountains and chancers everywhere! 

"This is amazing!" Chess kept saying. 

Ryuk dully noted with, "Yeah, yeah." He was amused by the fact that she was so amused though. It didn't seem right that Chess had never seen the human world before. "Chess, we have to go towards where the notebook has been dropped. If someone picks it up I'll have to stay here and I'll be in trouble." That wasn't exactly true, but Ryuk didn't want to bother with a human right now. He was only here, because she said she would take him to the Fate World. 

Chess shrugged and followed him, flying without wings, that seemed unnatural. Ryuk located his notebook in a park. Chess was faster at landing and picked it up. It seemed simple enough to her. She could pick it up and tried to hand it up to Ryuk, but the shinigami paused wondering if the ownership had gone to her. "Oi, you shouldn't have done that."

"Why?" Chess wondered and flipped through the pages. "Are these chancer names?"

"Humans, They're called humans." Ryuk was annoyed with her name for them. Even humans knew themselves as humans.

"Alright, alright. Humans..."She agreed. 

"Yeah, those are human names."

"Why are there human names in the notebook?" She wondered realizing she couldn't read any of them.

"Because I write them in there." He put simply.

"Why?"

"So I can have their remaining life spans." He told her.

Death was a concept that was slightly foreign to a fate. They did not die, but rather could experience pain, hunger, fatigue and played games in order to win rewards, which would better their "life". For instance, a fate could win food and a comfy chair. A fate might not die from hunger, sickness or fatigue, but it was not pleasant to live with those conditions either. It took more than a moment to explain the concept of Death to the Fate, but the fate understood the disappearance of Chancers when certain events took place. Chancers could vanish from the game without suffering a "complete fate". A "complete fate" is when a chancer fails to reappear in another game. Ryuk tried to explain that they die and never would. 

"Oh, well we can always replay a game once." Chess told him. This caught Ryuk's attention again. Chess noticed she did that often on accident. He seemed shocked at her lack of knowledge and sometimes her foreign comments. 

"Replay?"

"All the ch-humans come back when we replay a game... All other games that include those chan- uh humans, after that are effected by the replayed game." Though the fate didn't understand the mortal and human implications for what she said it was rather simple. Fates could reverse time and reply a "game" which was defined by a goal. Sometimes the goal of the game was obvious, sometimes it wasn't and Fates improvise, which usually ends up in a lot of humans dying. They assume the last ones standing has won or when humans are no longer influenced by fates this seems to be the end of a game. The games would fade away after the Fates had served their purpose. Awards were then dealt out to the three best players. 

"That's interesting..." Ryuk said.

* * *

Thanks for reading! This Chapter was a little longer than my last ones, but I promise I'm trying to keep them brief. The Chapter after this is shorter again.

Coming Up: Chapter Four: The Fate Realm 


	5. Chapter Four: The Fate Realm

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

* * *

**Chapter Four: The Fate Realm**

_IV. Coins are bet on a plausible action a Chancer can take. The more coins bet the more likely the Chancer will be influenced to attempt action_

From the human world Ryuk had taken Chess back to the Shinigami world and from there Chess had lead Ryuk to the Fate World. At first Ryuk was struck by how bright the world was. He thought it was actually a more horrible place than the Shinigami Realm, but once he got use to the brightness he saw that there was more junk here than the Shinigami realm. There were piles of junk everywhere. Though Ryuk had come across a pile of fruit and apples. A place with good apples couldn't be bad, it couldn't be bad at all!

Chess took Ryuk to an area where a number of tables were set up. It looked like a gambling hall, sort of sounded like one too, that or an arcade. Chess lead Ryuk to one of the tables and began talking to her friends and introducing him. The Fates were all silly looking and on the verge of cute, but now that Ryuk was seeing so many of them they began to seem normal.

Ryuk could see one of the games was in play on the table. It was futuristic, it looked like the fates could bring up holographic computer screens before them, the boards were 3-D and could shift quickly. The tables under the boards appeared to be normal light, wooden tables.

Ryuk overheard the fates saying "Ryuk's Course" a few times. It was kind of neat to have a game named after him. A Fate game too, which was ostensibly important.

"Okay, okay, we'll replay Ryuk's Course." Said a fate with a checkered, red jester hat, Chess had called him Sudoku. Ryuk knew he recognized the names of the fates from somewhere... "Tafl, go tell everyone we're re-playing a course."

"Is this a big deal?" Ryuk wondered.

Chess looked up at him, "A bigger deal than our normal deals."

"Oh." Ryuk wasn't sure that was an answer.

Within a few minutes it seemed that everyone had been informed and several fates had shown up at the table. They all stared at Ryuk and asked questions like, "Is he Nice?", "What is it?", "Can he be here?" It was becoming their concern that the "old Hag" would have at them if she found out...

Sudoku came off as the most responsible in his attempts to organize everyone . "Hey, we only need fates who were involved in the first part of the game." He said, trying to shoo the onlookers. This apparently was a big deal. Ryuk was a little nervous by all the fates gathering around. "Okay, let's see who's here... There is I, Sudoku." He said almost proudly. He began to list other names, but Ryuk couldn't follow all of them. "Okay, we don't know how this is going to turn out." Sudoku gave Ryuk a look as if to say he was the problem. "Are all the other games at rest?" He asked.

"All but a few..."Chess said, she looked at Ryuk, "Replaying a game can sometimes be problematic. Ryuk's Course changed most of the courses after it. We had no idea it would effect all the other games, even after it was finished."

* * *

Thanks for reading. In the next chapter more Fates are introduced, who will their Chancers be?


	6. Chapter Five: Recall Ryuk's Course

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

Today, on this, the day of April 3rd 2008, I've decided I will post two chapters.

I've been hesitating about what direction I would go directly after these chapters, but I think I've figured it out. At this point a lot of Fates begin to appear...

* * *

**Chapter Five: Recall Ryuk's Course**

_V. Dice are used to decide turns, certain influences and moves_

"Alright then." Sudoku took a deep breath and put his hands down on the table top. It activated another holographic screen. He shuffled through some screens and then took his hands off as a 3-D world appeared. Screens appeared all around the table in front of fates. A few fates seemed to turn their's off. The world before them was the planet Earth and the hologram went through the process of selecting the areas the first game was played. There was a rushed reversal of the events that took place during the game and Ryuk saw the human "pieces" appear before fates.

"Oi, that's Light!" Ryuk said pointing at the Chancer appearing in front of Sudoku.

Sudoku gave him a suspicious look again, "I don't like you, Shinigami."

"Calm down, Sudoku, I think he's neat." Said another fate at the table. He had spiky yellow hair, maybe it wasn't hair, it was hard to tell. It was pulled down by a hood-hat which made it stick out. Of what Ryuk could see of the fate he was also wearing a bow-tie with, little cow bells hanging from it.

"Mancala..." Sudoku sighed as if there was nothing more he could do.

"Oi, that's the L guy." Ryuk said pointing to the one in front of Mancala.

"What?" Asked another fate with Misa in front of him or her. Ryuk decided it was a her, since Misa was in front of her. She had really scary light blue eyes...

"Hey, can the shinigami play the game too?" Asked a fate with Matsuda and Mogi in front of him. This fate had cat ears on his head and clovers for hair- poor thing or maybe it was a bonnet...Still Ryuk pitied him.

"Damn I can't believe we're doing this again." Said a fate who wasn't sitting at the table, but standing at the corner, by Sudoku's side. He seemed the nervous type and wore an entire, long sleeved turtleneck, which appeared unusual for fates. Mikami was in front of him.

"Tic, he can't play the game!" Sudoku said rubbing his forehead.

Mancala smiled, "Oh no, Xiang Qi is about to pass out again."

"No, no, I'm alright." Xiang Qi, the nervous one in the turtleneck, retorted. Ryuk noticed he wasn't in any of the play back, but there were odd instances where apples were hanging in the air and the like. Apparently the Fates hadn't noticed that was unusual in the human world. Rem flashed by on the board and that seemed to catch all the Fate's attention. A Dozen pastel faces turned to Ryuk with large, mono-colored eyes

"I don't know." He shook his head.

Chess frowned, "I don't remember seeing that before."

"I suppose we won't worry about it for now." Sudoku decided, "It has almost returned to the starting point." The middle hologram stopped its rewinding and focused on a sport of green-grass in a courtyard area, a school?

They watched a notebook fall from the sky and fall onto the grass. "Well, my Chancer's already in play." Sudoku told, the middle hologram went to focus on Light in a rather unappealing wire-fame-esk version. He was looking down out the window, where the Death Note had fallen. Sudoku stared at the Shinigami for a long moment. "I don't get it, you were involved in all of this, right? You can't possibly stay here..." He muttered the last part to himself. He threw out a couple of dice on the table. Some of the dice had odd symbols, the others were numbered. It looked like two of Sudoku's dice came up ones and another came up five. "Wow my luck is bad already..."

Mancala put his hands on his head in distress, "Sevens, sevens of all things. And with that..." Ryuk couldn't follow what was going on, but the middle screen went back out and a different person picked up the Notebook...

* * *

The Next Chapter is "Rewind" with "Rewind: Intermission" Finally, the human characters are coming into the story


	7. Chapter Six: Rewind & Intermission

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

* * *

**Chapter Six: Rewind**

_VI. Both the Board and Chancers vanish after a game_

There had been something different about this morning. Light couldn't quite put his finger on it. The sky was bluer, clearer, the air smelt fresher, it just seemed crisper. It had put him in a good mood. It was like a new day, a day of second chances. However, school hadn't changed much. It was still the same old, same old. Even the best mornings could dwindle into boring days. Out of sky a dark notebook fell and Light got a good look at the cover. He stared at the notebook as it lay down bellow. Did that notebook say... "Death Note" on it? Light's English was good enough he could gather the implication. It was probably simply meant to look trendy, but what chilling words... For now he was still in his boring class.

Once school had let out the notebook was gone. Light assumed whoever dropped it must have picked it up.

Mr. Takiru decided kids shouldn't be making note books like this- this- "Death Note". What a terrible and malicious thing it was; Rules and all. Kids these days! He sighed and decided he wouldn't push to figure out who's it was. There was no clear owner, but if he found another one... He hoped this was a one time prank. He decided he was a forgiving man and tried to be the best; a teacher the students could come to! As he was thinking of how he could, and had, accomplished this, he tossed the Death Note towards a trash can. It didn't quite fall in. Absorbed in his own thoughts, Takiru didn't look back.

* * *

_Since this is a very short chapter and it will be a few chapters until we see the re-appearance of major main characters I wanted to add in this. My favorite character is among Wammy's Orphans._

* * *

_**REWIND INTERMISSION**_

It wasn't clear to Mello what had just happened. Had this sunny day suddenly gone inexplicably black and back in a flash? The play ground was boisterous with noise and the blond's attention abruptly returned to the soccer game they'd been playing. Mostly because the soccer ball smacked him in the face.

"Geez, Mello, what are you doing?" Called Matt from the sidelines, gameboy in hand. It was odd enough that Matt was outside, but stranger yet that he would be paying even the slightest attention to the soccer game. Mello snapped out of his stupor long enough to bully the kid who'd kicked the ball into his face.

To make things all the more surreal Near had actually managed to step out of the door and was, physically-technically, outside and standing. He glanced at Matt and Mello with a slight sense of alarm in place of his usually placid expression. "Did you... feel that?" He asked Matt offhandedly. Matt had already returned to his games. He didn't answer and after Near watched the ball game- well it was turning into a wresting match- for a moment, he turned around to go inside. A nurse bumped right into him, moved him aside gently with an apology and hurried into the group of brawling kids.

"Yeah, I felt it." Matt answered, suddenly offhandedly, without even looking up to see if Near was still there.

-(L)-

"L, would you like your evening coffee now?" Watari asked through to L's computer.

For some reason L had been contemplating whether or not he wanted chocolate pie or lemon pie a moment ago, felt his heart jump and suddenly had a revolutionary craving...

"Yes, Watari, but..."

Quillish waited, "Yes?"

"Could you bring me some celery?" There was a long, awkward pause.

"I'm sorry, what was that L?" Watari asked.

"You know, Cel... I think I might have carrot cake with my coffee." He decided.

"Ah, yes, very good." Watari dropped the link and probably went about getting L what he asked for. Mmm celery sticks...

* * *

UuH! It's the Chapter after this- Celery sticks! Keep in mind, the next chapter I wrote before the intermission. XP It's not really important, but the celery sticks...

The Next Chapter is: Misa's Marbles.  
Thanks for Reading!


	8. Chapter Seven: Misa's Marbles

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

It occurs to me... that maybe I should have written more short stories before venturing into a long one...

I guess it's too late now. On with the show!

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Misa's Marbles**

"Yes!" Shouted a fate, the fate with light blue eyes, who's Chancer was apparently Misa, "This will work in my favor! Now that we have a goal, it is so much easier!"

"Shut up Marbles. Your Chancer will be picked off so easily."

Chess looked annoyed over Mancala's comment. "Hey, these are living creatures you know. They have their own world and we are just... influences and random thoughts to them."

Mancala, the one with the spiky yellow hair, leaned back in his chair, arms over his head, "I still can't imagine it... Who cares anyway? I could really use a hotspring of my own."

Sudoku sighed, "Marbles, I got to agree with Mancala... I wouldn't be celebrating if I were you."

"Ugh, Fates of Wrath." Marbles snickered. She began to write on a notepad next to her. Chess had explained to Ryuk that these were suggestions influence coins could be put towards. The more complicated the suggestion the more coins needed to have an impact and even with the highest of influence measures the humans might not react or flat out deny the thought, as if it were evil. This is why it was common to take the same chancers over and over, because fates could figure out what they would and wouldn't do. Influences could work in different ways. There were direct suggestions, which were random thoughts. The there were subtle suggestions; trying to catch your Chancer's attention with a breeze, a leaf floating past them, a strange noise... Most influence were of this subtle variety, but when a Human's mind was open to suggestion or they were asking for guidance the Fates would be allowed random suggestions.

Sudoku was bored, watching Light on his personal screen, who was also bored. Ryuk sort of pitied the Fate and wondered what two bored guys like them would be able to scheme together. Ryuk didn't want to feel bored and watching Sudoku wasn't helping him. He turned his attention to Marbles who was flicking coins onto the table. The table currently displayed Misa in a close up, looking in her mirror and taking poses. For some reason this wasn't a wire-frame display, but the colors seemed faded. Misa had been modeling/working earlier and the photographer said something about her not knowing the difference between "Pout" and "Flirt", so now she was trying to distinctly make both expressions. Most of the time she ended up scowling as she thought back to the rude photographer. She would turn her nose in the air and say, "Well, maybe you're just an armature photographer!" She would then put off a sly smile and frown disappointed that all she'd really done was say, "Oh okay, thank you. I'll do my best." Misa was pretty cute, Ryuk kind of missed her...

Marbles seemed to be having trouble getting Misa's mind off herself. The fate put her hands on her head when her suggestion for Misa to take a walk only warranted a glance towards the window. Even though that was the end of Marble's turn Sudoku gave his turn to Marbles so she could try again to get Misa to go outside. Most of the fates seemed alright with giving away turns to progress the game and not have to drag another Chancer into it yet.

* * *

Next Chapter: Misa Misa!

Thanks for reading


	9. Chapter Eight: Misa Misa!

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

... This might begin to look like a Misa fan fic.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Misa Misa!**

Misa Amane, the pout princess! The girl sighed. That had looked more like a scowl. Maybe she really was overdoing it. She'd decided it might be too late to go out, getting too cold, but at length she opened the window to get some fresh air. Misa suddenly had a craving for a snack she hadn't had in a while and knew she didn't have at home right now. It wasn't that long of a walk to a convenient shop, the walk could help her clear her thoughts...

She didn't dress up too much for once and strut out in almost casual clothing. "I'm a perfectly good model!" She told herself, "He was just an armature..." She continued. She frowned and looked around at the deserted back street. "I'm way flirty." She decided with determination. She spotted something odd on a trash can, was it a magazine? Throwing away a good magazine... Maybe some of the models in there had pouty looks. She was a little jealous right off the bat, but decided she could use some examples, just for expression sake!

As she got closer she realized it wasn't a magazine. It was a notebook with the worlds... Death Note on it. Death Note? She flipped it open. There was stuff written all over the inside cover and then it looked like a list of people. Some of the writing was completely foreign to her. She got a weird chill from it... Well, it was dark and kind of trendy with the English on it. She did like Gothic style. Maybe she would take it and check online for what it was. She smiled. For some reason finding this little notebook had cheered her up. Cheering up didn't rid her of cravings though. She continued on her way, wondering why she almost felt proud of herself.

-8-

"MISA-MISA!" Marbles shouted happily. The fate was practically falling out of her chair. "That's my girl! You deserve a little treat after having to deal with the photographer and finding the notebook!"

"Marbles, control yourself." Sudoku said, but telling Marbles to control herself seemed to make her more hyper. Marbles got up and began to dance around.

"Damn, you'd have thought he won the whole game..." Mancala snickered, So Marbles was a "he"? Mancala was occasionally watching L, but L didn't seem to be up to much. Browsing the Internet for interesting rumors and eating sweets like there was no tomorrow. Mancala noticed Ryuk watching him, "I like my Chancer, but he makes me want to gorge myself on celery sticks." He paused, "That doesn't sound half bad..."

Sudoku was eying Ryuk as if trying to see through him. "Shinigami."

"His name's Ryuk." Chess snipped.

"Yes, well, Ryuk."

Ryuk didn't really care what the fate called him and scratch the back of his neck. "What?"

"Shouldn't you be... involved... somehow?"

"Heh-heh, I guess so hu?" Ryuk thought about it.

"Oh! Ryuk!" Chess suddenly chimed, "Let me go with you! I want to see how it works."

"Can I go?" Mancala wondered.

"No you can't..." Sudoku said.

"Oh come on, just for a little while."

The nervous Fate with the turtleneck, Mikami's fate, Xiang Qi, spoke up, "Let her go." He shivered.

Ryuk hadn't been guessing any of their genders right. "Oi, you're a ... female?" He asked Mancala.

"No, we don't have sexes like Chancers do." Mancala told. Wow fates were more confusing than humans.

"We know they're different from watching Chancers and how they interact." Sudoku told. "It's not something we abide by ourselves." That was weird, how could a Shinigami explain it wasn't a rule or a choice?

"How come you use "he" and "she" then?" Ryuk wondered.

"Whatever comes out." Sudoku shrugged. "Sometimes we pretend, say, we're one or the other."

Chess pointed to herself. "I'm Female."

Ryuk didn't really understand this, nor did he care to. Thankfully, the subject changed.

"Alright, I guess you can go." Sudoku sighed. "Mancala, you better come back soon though."

Mancala stood from the table and dug around in a bag, "Here," She handed Sudoku a walkie-talkie. Sudoku sighed heavily, but took it.

Chess stood close by Ryuk, as if by doing so she claimed a spot in going back to the human world. Mancala quickly took a spot by him as well. The others seemed to be considering going as well. "O-oi, I think I can only take two at a time."

Sudoku smiled, "That's good."

* * *

Thanks for Reading

Next Chapter: Chapter Nine: Replay

Should Fates even be in the human world? Such noisy and distracting creatures...

Fate Gender Trivia: I wasn't sure how to explain the fate's genders or their usage/understanding of gender. They don't truly have genders or sexes. They picked up the idea of gender (from humans and animals) like it's a trend and it's unusual for a fate to decide they are a gender and stick to it. Originally I thought to make it unusual for fates to go by a gender at all. The problem with this is what would I use to address them ("he", "she")? "It" is used for objects (which could get confusing) and doesn't seem proper for a humanoid. I didn't really want to go through the process of explaining all that either... Chess is one of the few who has strictly decided she's female. Males aren't as popular with fates, so there is a larger number of fates who are decidedly female than those who are decidedly male. The vast majority of fates don't care and will go by either.


	10. Chapter Nine: Teacher

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

Every time I get on to update this I think of how crazy it is that I am trying to write a long story. If I finish this I will really be amazed! I am grateful for the comments I have received on my stories. It gives me motivation and reminds me I have stories here.

I changed the name of chapter nine at the last minute, deciding the original title I had for it didn't fit well enough.

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Teacher**

_VII. The Fates who play will be rewarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place._

Top priority on Ryuk's mind was making sure the teacher, who had picked up the Death Note first, didn't own the notebook. It seemed pretty clear to Ryuk that the teacher had discarded it, but he still had to go to him and confirm it.

It wasn't so bad being stuck with two fates, they chatted with each other and didn't bother him much. They were kind of amusing actually. Mancala was quiet when they entered the human world and seemed fascinated and at a loss for words.

Ryuk didn't know what it was like to be haunted himself, but he was getting a taste of what that must be like. When Ryuk found the teacher, he didn't waste time. Unlike his encounter with Light, he sort of wanted this guy to beg and be fear struck. "The Notebook! Surrender the Note book!"

"Aaaah!" The teacher fell from his bed in terror.

"Get him! Get him!" Mancala laughed, it didn't look like the man could heard her.

"Say it! You surrender..."

"Surrender!" Mancala cheered into the walkie-talkie.

"Behave! I'm turning mine off." Sudoku snickered from the other side.

"...it." Ryuk finished.

Chess was talking to Mancala in the back ground. "I don't think the chancer can hear you."

"Awe, really!?" Mancala sighed.

"O-okay!" The teacher sputtered, "I surrender it! I surrender it! I don't have it! It's not mine."

"See ya." Ryuk said to the man, who was overcome with confusion a moment later as to why he was on the floor and sweating.

He stood and shivered, "A-a nightmare?"

"Hey, what happened?" Mancala asked.

"He surrendered the notebook." Ryuk told.

Chess had realized Ryuk was the type you'd have to prod for real answers. "What does that do?"

"The first person to touch the notebook owns it until they surrender it. Now it belongs to Misa."

"That's confusing." Mancala said, "No losers-keepers then, hu?"

"It's not that confusing..." Chess decided. "So now we go see Misa?"

Ryuk headed out the wall, "Yeah."

"Chancers are big in real life." Mancala mentioned as they went through the wall. "I wonder how big Misa is?"

"She's small." Ryuk snickered.

Chess snapped at him, "To you maybe!"

Mancala laughed. "I wanna see her in person!"

* * *

Thanks For Reading

Next: Chapter Ten: Mancala's Misa

Mancala sure is excitable. Ryuk might have his hands full and Misa might think she's going crazy.


	11. Chapter Ten: Mancala's Misa

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

I am not sure about Misa's living arrangements. I guess she probably lived on her own, but it seems like she would be lonely that way...

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Mancala's Misa**

Death Note... Death... note? Misa had been examining the notebook for a few minutes now. It was coming together that this was some kind of ...prank? She took a spoon full of the gelatin she'd been craving. She hadn't had it for so long, now she was wondering why she'd had a sudden craving for it.

"You two stay quiet, she'll be able to see me." Ryuk snickered as he came through the wall.

"AAH! Stalker!" Misa shriek, stumbling back onto her bed.

"Eh? No..."

"Wh-what... you're not human..." She realized. This guy couldn't be human could he? So tall and strange looking... Was he a foreigner?

"I'm a Shinigami." Ryuk said. Someone came to Misa's door.

"Are you okay Misa?" Asked another girl.

"You're the only one who can see and hear me." Ryuk added.

Misa nodded, though her friend stayed outside her door. "Yeah, I'm okay." She got up, her eyes still wide and on the shinigami as she went to the door. She opened it and peeked her head out. "I'm fine. Just something on TV."

"Oh okay..."

Misa sighed as she closed the door. She was... confused and worried. "A Shinigami?"

"OH!" Mancala squealed. "She's so cute! She's my favorite now!" The Fate latched onto Misa's leg, she didn't seem to notice her at all and walked up to Ryuk.

"Stop that..." Chess snickered.

Ryuk watched the little fates. They were making it hard to talk to Misa. "Yes, I'm Ryuk. That notebook you picked up..."

Chess was trying to pry Mancala from Misa. "Stop it!"- "Eeek,"- "Let go!"- "She's my FAVORITE."

"O-oh." Misa realized she hadn't introduced herself. Despite the fact that she was facing... a monster, maybe he was the polite type. "I'm Misa Amane, Ryuk. Nice to meet you." She said a little shakily. "You- you came for this?" She picked up the notebook and held it up to him.

Ryuk wanted to put his hands over his ears. Mancala had been pried from Misa and now the two fates were wrestling with each other. "Eh, yeah, but as long as it's here and you have it, it's yours."

"Does it... really kill people then?" Misa asked, holding the Death Note against her chest.

Mancala had crawled up onto a desk and was staring at Misa's chest. "She's got bumpers on herself." The fate declared.

"A lot of them have bumpers like that." Chess added.

"Oi, be quiet." Ryuk snickered at the fates.

"Uh- I'm sorry." Misa said.

"Not you..." Ryuk had to try to ignore the two fates. "There are little demons running around here."

It wasn't easy to swallow something like that, but Misa didn't know Shinigami actually existed until now, nor that they looked like this. She decided she might be dreaming. "Oh really?"

Mancala reached out for notebook, or maybe Misa's "bumpers". Mancala got a grip on the notebook and it moved in Misa's grip. She looked down. "A hand! A little hand."

"She can see me." Mancala chimed.

Misa pulled away, apparently she couldn't hear them. "I-I guess I shouldn't doubt you Mr. Shinigami." Misa looked at the gelatin she'd had earlier, wondering if something was in it. She took a deep breath and sat down on her bed. "This is ... a bit much to take."

"Eh, well don't mind them." Ryuk said, giving them a glare.

Misa flopped back on her bed. "A Death Note, Shinigami, demons..."

"She's overwhelmed?" Mancala wondered. "I'm overwhelmed!"

"Mancala... control yourself." Chess said. It was exciting to meet a chancer, but Mancala was getting too energetic. "Where'd your hood go?" Mancala flipped the hood back on.

"It's attached to the bow-tie."

Misa suddenly sat up. "But if this really kills people..." She paused, thinking about... her parents. "There's someone I'd really like to..." Her glare was sharp with anger as she looked the Death Note.

* * *

Thanks For Reading

Next: Chapter Eleven: Murder

What a title... I shouldn't have to say much about that one.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Murder

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C.)

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Murder**

"People like him... they deserve to die..." Misa opened the notebook on her vanity/desk and took out a pen. She hesitated. "Ryuk...These are names right? I have to write a name in here..."

"Hu? Oh, You have to put his whole real name and think of his face as you write. And he'll just die of a heart attack if you don't put anything else."

"They won't know it was... me?" She turned to him.

"How could they?" Ryuk shrugged. The fates seemed very interested in how the notebook worked. The room was in a tense silence. Misa considered what she was doing for a few minutes, but decided it was unforgivable... The man who'd killed her parents. This was like an opportunity from heaven! She wrote down his name, concentrating on his face...

"I guess I won't be able to call until morning." She realized. "Will he be dead by then?" She shivered a little, thinking she might've just killed someone with a heart attack, even if he was evil and she hated him.

"Yeah, he'll die in forty seconds."

She closed the notebook. "I guess we'll see." She sounded a bit disappointed.

Misa wasn't sure what to do about Ryuk being around constantly. He kept some distance, which was nice when she went into the bathroom or something. She wasn't as concerned about him as the morning results of the Death Note. She'd tried to sleep, but she was waiting to call her lawyers. That might give her away though wouldn't it? No, it didn't matter to her. There was another hearing scheduled soon. She had every right to call about it.

"I wonder how Marbles feels about this?" Mancala wondered. The fates had calmed down and were experiencing tiredness. Ryuk was feeling bored and while he could sleep he didn't really feel a need to. It was strange to him the fates could feel so sleepy they would get sick if they didn't sleep.

The fates were uncomfortable on the floor and climbed up on Misa's bed. They didn't even put an indent on it, but apparently could feel it's softness. When Misa moved they were startled and moved about. Misa didn't get much sleep and her eyes hardly left the clock. "It's too early for me to call..." She sighed, "I need my beauty sleep. I have a shooting in a bit." She remembered. "Awe, I can't until... I know..."

But she fell asleep for a few hours, had to get up to get ready and go to her shooting. On the way to her shoot, in the car, she called the lawyers. She acted surprisingly calm about it and ask about the case's progression.

"I was just about to call you, Ms. Aname. It seems he died sometime last night..." The lawyer told her. She made it sound like she was surprised and then told him she needed to go. He took it as some emotional response. To some extent it was. Her manager tried to keep her in good spirit and said that the murder's death was a good thing.

"Yes," She smiled for her manager. She looked out the window, her smile fading. "I can't... believe it."

"Are you alright, Misa?" Her manager asked.

"I didn't sleep well last night." Misa told and smiled. "No big deal."

Her manager gave her a little pep talk about it. Ryuk was bored out of his mind. Had Rem had to deal with this all the time?

"Hey Ryuk..." Chess began. The Fates weren't looking too well. "Can we go home now? We're hungry and tired... and we don't feel good." She told.

"Eh... well I'm not suppose to leave, but..." Ryuk sighed, "Yeah."

Misa raised an eyebrow at him. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"I'll be back in a sec." Ryuk assured. It might not be allowed, but he'd be quick about it.

Misa remembered her manager and the driver couldn't see or hear Ryuk. She looked out the window.

* * *

Thanks For Reading

Next: Chapter Twelve: Return

The Fates are going home and another Chancer is showing up (Finally!).


	13. Fate Intermission

Happy New Year 2009.

The next chapter I'm about to post is called "Return". Seems like the right kind of theme, I've been gone for a while.

I finally had some time and wanted to get back into this. I never even got everything posted I had ready...

To my surprise I had some notes regarding the fates. I recall thinking I had a lot of OCs and explaining them might be helpful. Guess I never got around to writing them all or posting them. Well, here are the first three I had written.

* * *

Chess: Seeing as Chess is something of the fate character she probably doesn't need an introduction. Chess is usually a responsible fate and doesn't do anything particularly out of the ordinary. She's somewhat curious and has a maternal side. Unlike most fates she's decidedly female and has stuck with that for longer than most fates do. Chess takes the games as more of a duty and doesn't care much for the rewards. Her eyes are red and her hair looks like it's made out of ash tree leaves.

Mancala: If nothing else Mancala enjoys being heard. S/he's curious, open minded, excitable, but most of all has only her/is own interest and amusement at heart. In Public Mancala will act differently depending on who s/he is with (and where they are). If Mancala is going to be in public s/he wants to be heard and have some kind of attention. In private Mancala is mostly focused on relaxation and food.

Marbles: Marbles is probably the greatest drama queen the fates will ever witness. He's very enthusiastic and moody. Mancala and Marbles have similar personalities, but Marbles' isn't nearly as conflicting as Mancala. If Marbles is going to be happy, he'll be very happy. If Marbles is going to be angry he might just have a fit. Marbles can be rather prideful, snobbish and spoiled. However he seems to bond with his own chancers and cares about their well fare as well as winning a place at the end of the game. His most notable feature are his striking blue eyes. Marbles usually goes by the opposite gender of his chancer and seems to attach to females more, so he's often "male".

* * *

There you go. I guess that's three of them. Time to get back to the story.


	14. Chapter Twelve: Return

-Ricochet-

(N.O.C)

Move over Misa! It's about time another character showed up.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Return**

When the fates and Ryuk returned Marbles was glaring at them. "You kept her up all night!" The fate snickered. Ryuk forgot how scary the pale creature with its sharp blue eyes was...

Sudoku was holding onto a pillow. "I've been trying to get my Chancer in Marbles' way, but my chancer is rather rigid when it comes to schedule. He's bored out of his mind, but he still doesn't deviate much. How was it Mancala?"

"It was really cool." Mancala said, in a sleepy voice.

"Yes, we saw you two making a spectacle of yourselves." Marbles hissed.

"You could see us?" Chess wondered.

"And him." Xiang Qi pointed. "You were there the first time too, Ryuk?"

Ryuk nodded. "Yeah, I have to get back..." He said, a few curious eyes turn to him. "I can't take anyone with me." He waved his hands.

"That's fine." Sudoku assured. "It looks like they were problematic for you..." He glared at the two returners.

Ryuk fared them well and went back to Misa.

"Hey! Xiang Qi, pay attention to your Chancer!" Marbles snickered.

Xiang yawned and looked at what his chancer was doing. Teru Mikami and Misa Amane appeared on the center hologram. Mikami, or maybe it had been Misa, had accidentally ran into the other and Misa had dropped the notebook out of her bag.

Mikami picked up the notebook for the girl. "Sorry about..." It wasn't like him to be careless, but maybe it was the good weath-... There was a demon over the girl's head. "Ah..." He couldn't gain the breath to scream over it. The monster swooped down and stood behind the girl. His eyes darted around. Why-why wasn't anyone else panicking?

"Oi, I forgot to tell you. Anyone else who touches the notebook can also see me."

"Ryuk!" Misa almost yelled, she only kept down her voice, because there were people around.

Ryuk rubbed the back of his neck. "I keep forgetting you don't know all this already."

Now what....

Xiang was laughing aloud. The whole gambling hall was ringing with his laughing. Some of the other fates caught on and thought it was pretty funny too. "I don't have to do anything!" Xiang put up his hands. "Teru is just an amazing Chancer!"

"He's so rigid, how did this happen?" Marbles was about to loose his marbles. He threw his dice on the floor.

Sudoku rolled his eyes. "Chancers have moods like us I guess..." Sudoku told Xiang. "Pull up an arm chair, I guess you're in this now."

* * *

Thanks for Reading.

Next: Chapter Thirteen: X-Kira, Kira 2

It's Teru's turn.


	15. Chapter Thirteen: XKira, Kira 2

-Richochet-

(N.O.C)

I'm trying to keep up with this more. Here's chapter thirteen.

* * *

**  
**

**Chapter Thirteen: X-Kira, Kira 2**

This, this was it, this was what Mikami Teru had been waiting for all his life! Justice, in a instant, in a form that only the gods could bestow upon mortals. However, at the same time, Teru had to had to rationalize this...

"Thank you for the snacks." Misa said, from the other side of the table. With Teru by her side, she managed to squeeze out of trouble with her manager. She didn't have much work today and her manager had decided to reschedule some of her interviews. Her manager could only assume it was some kind of emotional shock and chalked it up to Misa being a sensitive girl. Whatever the reason, Misa was being allowed a little time off, at least for the rest of today. She'd told Mikami she could explain, but it would be better somewhere in private, so he'd brought her to a cute little snack shop.

She was glad for it actually. "No problem, thank you for joining me." He said, "So you were telling me... this notebook killed someone?"

Misa nodded. "Well, I tried it on one person and he died."

"Coincidence?" Mikami wondered. Misa looked up at Ryuk. Mikami followed her gaze. "Ah, well, that too."

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...." Misa didn't know what to say or who she was saying it to. She felt stupid.

"We could both be suffering from some kind of odd hysteria. Perhaps I should research it." Mikami said, watching Ryuk. "You say you're... a death god?" He asked Ryuk. The bored Shinigami nodded.

"Yeah, only you and her can see and hear me now." Ryuk was really missing Light's ambition.

Mikami shook his head, as if he wasn't willing to believe any of this. "If this isn't hysteria, it's amazing."

"You-you think so?" Misa asked and took a drink of her ice tea.

"Yes, Ms. Amane, you... killed someone who did something very evil right?"

She nodded with a grieved expression. Even if she felt she'd done the right thing and was glad to be rid of the man, it still brought back all those unpleasant memories.

"Ms. Amane, do you mind if I experiment with this... notebook?"

Misa looked at Ryuk. "Well, it's possible to give him pages to use."

"Really? So it can be torn up and still used? It will have all the same effects?" Mikami looked through the pages, fascinated.

"Yeah..."

"So if someone else touches the pages...." Misa realized. She felt like this was a losing battle and turned to Mikami. He was a lawyer after all, he had to be very smart and now that he was in on this. Geez Misa was such a klutz, at least Mikami was pretty cute and he wasn't going to turn her in.

* * *

Thanks for Reading

Next: Chapter Fourteen: Downtime


End file.
